Peterborough, New Hampshire

Miller State Park

Miller State Park sits at the flank and nearly 3,000-foot summit of New Hampshire’s Pack Monadnock and the state’s oldest state park. A paved, 1.3-mile winding road leads to the summit and its scenic surroundings, open to visitors daily during the summer and on the weekends during the spring and fall months. Hiking and picnicking are popular outdoor activities at Miller State Park, with three of the main hiking trails ascending to the summit of Pack Monadnock. The most well known of the trails is the Wapack Trail, extending a total of twenty-one miles from Mt. Watatic to North Pack Monadnock.

13 Miller Park Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-3672

Peterborough Players

Established in 1933, the Peterborough Players brings high quality professional theatre productions to the quaint town of Peterborough, New Hampshire. The theatre company has built a reputation as a leading destination for theater in the region. Performances are held in a small theater that has been converted from a historic barn dating back to the eighteenth century at Stearns Farm, only a few miles from downtown Peterborough. The state-of-the-art, yet still intimate theatre features 250 seats and air conditioning. Not only are the Peterborough Players the region’s only professional producing theatre they are one of the country’s oldest summer stock companies.

55 Hadley Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-7585

Peterborough Town Library

The Peterborough Town Library is the result of an 1833 town meeting, during which the residents of Peterborough in New Hampshire made a decision that a “pursuit of knowledge” was so important of a civic good that they would pay for a library “in perpetuity.” This “free public library” was established and became the world’s first library to be entirely “supported by taxation.” The permanent home of the Peterborough Town Library was constructed in 1893, housing a growing collection of books. In 1914, an elegant portico was built and the town library has expanded even more since then.

2 Concord St, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-8040

Temple Mountain

A ridge stretching more than two thousand feet across south central New Hampshire, Temple Mountain is part of the Wapack Mountain Range around the town of Peterborough. The Wapack Trail, which extends approximately twenty-two miles, traverses the scenic Temple Mountain. Along the northern face of the mountain is the 350-acre, state-owned Temple Mountain Reservation Area, which was formerly known as the Temple Mountain Ski Area and boasts rather spectacular views. Temple Mountain features several different summits, with three being the Whitcomb Peak, the Burton Peak, and the highest one, Holt Peak. Along the mountain’s ridgeline are long scenic vistas.

Peterborough Town House

The Peterborough Town House serves as Peterborough’s town hall, situated at Main Street and Grove Street in the downtown district. The historic building dates back to the year 1918 and is a significant example in the local area of the Colonial Revival architectural style, which has led it to be added in 1996 to the National Register of Historic Places. Featuring a gabled roof and a front facade consisting of round-arched openings, the two-story building’s design resembles closely to that of Boston’s famous Faneuil Hall. The upper level of the Peterborough Town House often hosts concerts and other events.

1 Grove St, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-8000

Bantam Grill

Bantam Grill in Peterborough is an upscale restaurant serving classic American and Italian fare. With Chef Harris at the helm, the restaurant takes great pride in making every dish from scratch, as well as using modern cooking techniques to provide innovative bold flavors and using local ingredients as much as possible. Open daily for both lunch and dinner, highlights of the menu at the Bantam Grill include the Grass-Fed Burger, the Grilled Ribeye and the French Onion Soup. The restaurant also offers a full-service bar, along with a specialty cocktail menu, several varieties of wine, and a beer list.

1 Jaffrey Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-6633

The Peterborough Diner

The Peterborough Diner still stands today in the New England town of Peterborough, New Hampshire as a historic Worcester Lunch Car Diner from the 1950’s. Well known for being the region’s first Worcester Lunch Car that was made with “green and cream,” the historical Peterborough Diner embraces its famous historical character in modern times, while also stepping up to meet the challenges of the competition of present day. The locally owned and operated eatery offers a variety of options and is open seven days a week for both breakfast and lunch from seven in the morning until two in the afternoon.

10 Depot St, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-6202

Cooper's Hill Public House

Cooper's Hill Public House is an Irish-inspired pub located in the downtown area of Peterborough, New Hampshire. The local dining establishment serves a European pub-style food menu and dishes are made using organic and local ingredients whenever possible. Guests can choose to sit inside or outdoors on the patio. In addition to the food options at Cooper's Hill Public House, an extensive whiskey collection can be found at the local pub, boasting more than two hundred different whiskeys. The historic space has been renovated by owners Cassandra and Kyle Sullivan to offer a welcoming and warm atmosphere.

6 School St, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-371-9036

Nature's Green Grocer Market & Cafe

Nature's Green Grocer Market and Cafe in Peterborough is the Monadnock Region’s largest full-service natural food grocery store, offering more than fifteen thousand products. The market offers one of the best all-organic selections of produce, featuring in-season local products, as well as a butcher department with all-natural fresh-cut meats, a gourmet cheese selection, a bakery department, and fresh seafood delivered six days out of the week from Boston. The cafe serves a variety of food options made with organic ingredients sourced as locally as possible.

374 Union St, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-924-2233

Parker House Cafe, Peterborough, NH

The Parker House Cafe has been handcrafting high quality coffee through traditional roasting methods for many years and still maintains a high standard for the coffee served and sold today. All of the coffee is responsibly sourced and premium roasted. The coffee shop is known as the “place to go” in the quaint, small town of Peterborough, New Hampshire for a great coffee beverage, providing a cozy atmosphere for people to relax or talk with friends. The staff are also known for being friendly.

166 Hancock Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458, Phone: 603-784-5597

Mariposa Museum and World Cultural Center

For more than 20 years the Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center has been exploring the richness and diversity of multi-cultural and multi-racial creativity throughout the world. Located in the historic red-brick Baptist Church building in the center of town, the Mariposa museum offers a hands-on adventure celebrating the cultures and creativity of people from all corners of the globe. The exhibits are mostly interactive and include the costume and puppet alcove and the top-floor musical instrument collection, where visitors are encouraged to experiment. The latest exhibition is a wonderfully crafted textile story of the origins of our universe, created by a group of very talented women from the Koponang community in South Africa.

Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center, 26 Main Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603 924 4555

Sheiling Forest

The 47-acre Sheiling Forest was donated to the State of New Hampshire by a long-time resident and nature-lover, Mrs. Elizabeth Yates McGreal. Today the forest boasts a Forestry Learning Center which is available to groups and organizations for conservation and educational purposes. Visitors can explore the forest on foot along a network of scenic trails which are suitable for walking, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The trail system encompasses various named and unnamed trails which can be combined to form longer loops. Families with younger children will love the safe and well-maintained trails and dogs are allowed on a leash. You can bring a picnic and enjoy a fun day in the forest.

Sheiling Forest, 395 Old Street Road, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603 431 6774

Monadnock Center for History and Culture

Comprising a museum, research facility and an historic one-room school house, the Monadnock Center for History and Culture is on a mission to educate the public about the fascinating history and culture of the Monadnock Region. When you visit their museum in Grove Street you can admire permanent and rotating exhibitions of historic significance. These include a collection of early American furniture and household arts in the Greenie Room and a careful reproduction of an early Peterborough kitchen in the Robbe Family Kitchen. To ensure that all ages will enjoy their visit, children can have fun in the hands-on Town Attic where they can try quill writing and rag doll making.

Monadnock Center for History and Culture, 19 Grove Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603 924 3235

Edward McDowell Lake

Covering over 1,194 acres of water and surrounding land, the Edward McDowell Lake is an important recreational facility for Peterborough residents and visitors. Here you can spend many happy hours getting back to nature. Although many of the activities are water related, the area also offers a network of trails around the perimeter of the lake and the wetlands. These are ideal for hiking, walking and bird-watching in summer, and cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing in winter. Water sports include fishing for bass, pickerel and perch (small electric boats are allowed), canoeing, kayaking and swimming. There are picnic tables and shelters which you can reserve. Seasonal hunting and trapping is allowed.

Edward McDowell Lake, 75 Wilder Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603 924 3431